System for erecting cartons

Abstract

A system for erecting boxes has a magazine holding supply of flattened boxes having panels separated at respective fold lines, a support wheel generally continuously rotating about an axis adjacent the supply, a grab on the support wheel, an unfolder on the wheel adjacent the grab, and a conveyor adjacent the wheel. The grab and the unfolder are pivotal on the wheel about a grab axis parallel to the wheel axis and defining thereabout an orbit and the conveyor has upper and lower elements defining parallel and vertically spaced upper and lower conveyor planes, and front and rear elements displaceable parallel to the planes therebetween and defining respective conveyor calls. The upper plane is generally tangent to the orbit of the grab axis. A box is engaged with the grab and with the unfolder which are then relatively pivoted about the grab axis until the box is erected and an upper panel of the erected box engaged by the grab extends parallel to the upper conveyor plane but is spaced above the upper conveyor plane. Thereafter the grab and unfolder are synchronously pivoted about the grab axis while rotating the wheel to maintain the upper panel of the box parallel to the upper conveyor plane until the upper panel lies generally on the upper conveyor plane. The box is then released from the grab into a respective cell of the conveyor.